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Council accepts memo on 2027 comprehensive plan advisory committee; $300,000 Interface contract noted
Summary
Council received a memorandum requesting nominations for a 2027 comprehensive plan advisory committee and was told a $300,000 consultant contract with Interface will support the work; councilors debated nomination vs. open-application approaches and voted 5–2 to receive the memorandum.
City staff presented a memorandum asking the council to nominate members to a 20–25 person advisory committee for the city’s 2027 comprehensive plan and noted a recommended consultant contract with Interface Studio for $300,000. Teresa Crean, Director of Resilience and Sustainability, said the advisory committee would "ground truth" the consultant team’s work, provide local perspective and assist with public engagement rather than write the plan itself.
Councilors questioned whether nominations (one from each councilor) would skew representation or whether an open application and interview process would be more inclusive. Councilors raised timeline concerns, noting a proposed consultant kickoff the week of Oct. 6 and the council’s next meeting on the 24th. After discussion and clarifications from city planner Becky Kerfethen on committee composition, the council voted to receive the memorandum by a 5–2 margin; receiving the memo does not constitute approval of the selection method or the consultant contract.
Staff said Interface’s work will be vetted by the advisory committee and that staff could pursue an open application process if the council preferred; the next steps will include further administrative work to present nominees or an alternative selection process for formal council consideration.
